


The International Registry

by SanIker_59



Series: a different kind of world [1]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Everyone's gay, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Rivalry, Romance, Soulmates, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-05 19:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13395081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SanIker_59/pseuds/SanIker_59
Summary: Soulmates are this awesome thing but Sergio doesn't really think so until he kind of does.Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi are a odd but cute couple.





	1. which kind of torture is more bearable?

Sergio would never admit how much he loved listening to the old stories. Days of hot summers, beaches alive with people, everyone talking and being happy. It was a bit harder for Sergio to experience those kinds of days, surrounded by people who didn’t care what your name was or whether you were registered. Especially when he was the only person in his town, other than his own family, who wasn’t. 

His parents didn’t talk about it much. They never mentioned it until Sergio’s brother had come home from school, asking about whether he was registered or not. By the time Sergio was old enough to care, the process had lost any sense of taboo to the general public. Everyone embraced the registry. Except for the traditional people, like Sergio’s parents.

Some of Sergio’s friends couldn’t understand it. They would ask Sergio about whether he was registered, then about his parents when he said no. Somehow, people forgot that relationships could happen outside of the test, or at least they forgot that some people never wanted to be registered.

After finishing school and moving into football, the questions became for frequent, but Sergio learned quickly to avoid those types of things. He learned that in the locker room, everyone was equal, registered or not. That being said, Sergio was still the only one unregistered, but he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t normal.

For example.

Isco and Alvaro had promised to stop making kissy faces at each other while they were in the locker room, but that didn’t stop the two from naturally gravitating towards each other. Sergio had been told about Alvaro’s situation. How he had found his match in Paulo Dybala, but the both of them loved other people and decided not to pursue a relationship. Sergio thought about the few times he had seen Paulo and would shake his head wondering how the universe thought he was meant for Alvaro when Alvaro was obviously meant for Isco. Isco and Alvaro were one of the couples that made Sergio more confident in his decision. When he had turned 18 and his parents had asked if he wanted to be tested, to join the registry, he had said no. To some degree, Sergio wanted what his parents had, the carefree relationship, no pressure to be perfect, to be soulmates, just happy with each other and that was the only thing that mattered.

But things don’t always stay that way, do they?

Sergio thought about the registry again when he was back home at the end of the season, watching his parents who had seemingly begun to drift apart. He could almost see the pain on their faces, finally showing from years of distress. Sergio’s grandparents told him that in their day, that was how lots of relationships went. You worked and worked and worked to maintain your happiness, but sometimes it wasn’t meant to last. Sergio had still dismissed the small voice in his head, the curious thought of just who he was truly meant for. Sergio would shake his head and think about the finality of the registry, being pinned down to someone you have never met and told you weren’t always meant to be their second half. 

When he goes back to Madrid, Cristiano and Gareth unsettle him further. Because they look so happy and content in each other. Cristiano pulls Gareth into the group, holds him tight against his body and makes sure Gareth is always comfortable. Gareth wraps his arms around Cristiano’s waist, pulling the seething Portuguese away from an opponent and within seconds of feeling Gareth’s hands on him, the other man is calm once more, making sure Gareth is okay and Gareth is staring up at him with an equal amount of concern. Sergio saw how the two of them fit together like puzzle pieces, beautiful and seamless, as though all they had ever been searching for was tucked at their side and there was nothing in the world that could fit between them.

Sergio’s heart ached.

It had been years since he had a girlfriend, the last relationship of his ending when her phone began to ring, a call from the registry stating her soulmate had been match, and that he had offered his contact information. Sergio couldn’t feel any anger, not when he saw the raw hope and beginnings of a happiness he couldn’t understand form on her face. So he had stood from his chair, placed a kiss on her forehead and grabbed his coat. Sergio could still feel the cold air that surrounded him as he walked out of her apartment, as though he had been a placeholder, just waiting for the true piece to come along.

Sergio would listen to James and Toni speak of how they were registered since they were children, but had never gotten their phone call. James showed his disappointment and desperation everytime his phone rang. Toni was better at hiding it, a perfect stoic German who’s emotions could only be seen in the depths of his eyes. Sergio thought of finally getting registered, only to never get a phone call of his own.

He wondered which torture would be more bearable.

Sergio’s heart hurt.

He passed the registry in Madrid on his way to his favorite park. His eyes would never fail to linger on the building as he drove by, almost getting into the turning lane, almost pulling into the parking lot, but never following through.

Well, never doesn’t quite last forever.

It’s surprisingly Marcelo who is in the car with him, watching Sergio look at the building as they come to the intersection. 

“They won’t be mad,” Marcelo’s voice pulls Sergio from his thoughts as he turns to his teammate, confusion written on his face. “Your soulmate. They won’t be mad that you waited this long. If you go in there today or tomorrow or next year and you find out someone has been waiting for you, they won’t be mad. You shouldn’t let that fear keep you from doing this.” And Sergio thinks for a moments that Marcelo ought to give the speeches before a game because Iker is wonderful but a few sentences from Marcelo and Sergio is pulling into the turn lane, letting out a shaky breath as he pulls into the parking lot of the building which reads ‘International Registry’. When he parks the car, he lets out a deep sigh, breath faltering as Marcelo unbuckles his seat belt. The Brazilian reaches over the dash, placing his hand over Sergios. A few more kind, hushed words and Sergio feels like he can breathe again, taking a moment before opening the car door and letting Marcelo lead him inside. Marcelo explains to the receptionist Sergio’s situation because Sergio can barely open his mouth, instead nodding along, signing the paperwork and following the nurse that appears from the corner as she tells him to follow her. Marcelo allows Sergio to intertwine their fingers, squeezing his hand as Sergio continues to take deep breaths, sitting on the examination table the nurse points to as she pulls a swab from the desk in the examination room. 

“Alright sweetie, I’m just going to take a swab of the inside of your cheek and then we can get it sent off for testing,” the nurse explains and Sergio knew that this whole thing was simple but actually sitting her, feeling the nurses warm hand as she cups his chin prompting him to open his mouth, everything feels so overwhelming.

Sergio is hyper aware of the cotton swab now rubbing his cheek. It feels weird, and Sergio can’t help but think it shouldn’t be this easy. When the nurse explains that Sergio should get a call in the next week to confirm it has been entered in the registry, Sergio feels the shock, the immediate understanding that once she leaves the room there is no going back. But Sergio watches her place the swab in a sterile container, smile at the pair of them and then leave the room and Sergio doesn’t move a muscle.

“See, that wasn’t bad, yeah?” Marcelo asks, his hand still wrapped around Sergio’s as he watched the Spaniard seemingly come back to earth. Sergio shot him a timid smile, squeezing his hand in response and closing his eyes as he breathed.

Marcelo hadn’t mentioned to anyone that Sergio had finally decided to get put in the registry. He allowed Sergio to keep it to himself as the days dragged on and Sergio was finding it harder and harder to leave his phone anywhere. Sergio was trying not to show the mixture of fear, excitement and hesitate he felt every time his phone began to ring, not going on vibrate at all since his spur of the moment decision. Yet, the days continued to pass without a phone call. Marcelo assured Sergio that was normal, it should take at least a week for him to officially become registered. Sergio had bitten his lip in worry and he honestly should have known Marcelo would be right.

Marcelo was always right.

Sergio got the call the third day of October. He was home alone for the day, their match was in two days but they had been spared a training session to give them one day of rest. Sergio froze when he heard his ringtone begin to play. It had to be, it couldn’t be anyone else. Sergio had jumped for the phone, almost screaming as he saw the caller id was indeed an unknown number, an area code based in the United States. Sergio answered the call but allowed himself one as breath before pulling the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Good evening sir, would you like for this phone call to take place in Spanish?”

“Please.”

“Wonderful. Sir I am a representative of the International Registry and I have some news for a Sergio Ramos, am I speaking to Mr. Ramos?”

“Yes,” Sergio flinches hearing his voice break slightly, “Yes, this is he.”

“I will need for you to answer a few questions for me just to verify your identity as this information is private.”

Sergio answers the questions as quick as he can, an overwhelming sense of urgency taking hold as he realizes this can’t just be a confirmation.

“Alright Mr. Ramos we can get started. First of all you have been successfully registered, and it seems your match was already in the system, he has already signed off for his contact information to be given as you did when you took the test, would you like for me to give you this contact information.”

Sergio feels like he’s been thrown for a six. His hand clenches, grabbing for some comfort that isn’t there as he realizes this is real. There is someone out there, some man who has been waiting for Sergio to build up the courage to get registered and Sergio feels like he’s going to throw up but the words slip from his mouth without a thought.

“Yes, please, I’d like the information.”

“Alright sir, I know this may be a shock so I will tell you over the phone but I will also be emailing you this information just the same to the address you have provided us.”

“Alright.”

“Okay Mr. Sergio Ramos Garcia, your listed match is a Lionel Andres Messi, he resides in Barcelona, Spain and he has listed this”

Sergio’s mind drifts, the phone falling from his ear as he blinks, shock taking over his entire body.

It’s Messi.

Messi.

Leo Messi.

Leo Messi, Cristiano’s rival. Leo Messi, the bane of Iker’s existence. Leo Messi, the little flea who wears the blaugrana with the same amount of pride Sergio wears his white. Leo Messi who has at times been the sole target of Sergio’s dangerous legs during the most intense matches. Leo Messi, the talisman of Sergio’s rival club.

Leo fucking Messi. 

Sergio isn’t sure when the girl on the phone hangs up but she does eventually because Sergio doesn’t snap out of this mood. Just sits and stares, think about this fucked up situation he had gotten himself into. Thinks of Leo, how everyone will respond to the two of them being soulmates. Thinks of the press having a field day with this. Thinks of the upcoming El Clasico and how much tension will be there because Leo was already in the registry.

Sergio flinches as he imagines Leo, young and scared in Barcelona, still waiting on a phone call that wouldn’t come. Leo who never speaks of the soulmate business, Leo who Sergio didn’t even know was registered. Leo, who now knows about this too.

Sergio pulls his phone back to quickly check his email, finding a new message that inside reads the information Leo had agreed to be given out and Sergio feels his heart break as he realizes Leo might have kept this updated, got his number and address changed in the registry every time he had to switch phones or decided to move house, all for the hope that one day he would get the call.

Marcelo had said he wouldn't be mad. Whoever was Sergio’s soulmate wouldn’t hold those years of waiting for a phone call that would never come against him.

Sergio feels his heart ache, but it’s a different, more painful ache.

Marcelo didn’t know it was Leo.

And Sergio wasn’t sure Leo would be the forgiving type.


	2. if you don’t make the first move, i'm not sure he ever will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio is scared. It's a reasonable response. He's also very cute when he's excited. That's nice too. 
> 
> This chapter kinda sucks, sorry, may do an epilogue or something to round it out we'll have to see if I get creative at any point

Sergio tries not to think about it. It’s been two days since he got the call. He focuses on the match against Bilbao but everyone can tell his head isn’t in the game though the only person who knows why is Marcelo. Cristiano scores early on and when Sergio watches the two of them embrace in celebration it feels like someone’s punched Sergio in the stomach. He hugs and congratulates Cris but he can’t get the image of Leo out of his mind and he wonders what it would be like to hold him in his arms the way Cris always holds Gareth. He makes a bad foul later on and ends up in the book but he can’t really think to care. Ancelotti takes him off after the first half and Sergio sits on the bench. He’s watching the game half heartedly when he realizes it’s been two days since he got the call telling him Lionel Messi was his soulmate. Two days had passed. Two days since Leo had gotten his call as well.

Marcelo is celebrating the victory when he notices the far off look in Sergio’s eyes that is something like muffled panic. He congratulates all the guys but Marcelo finds him in the locker room and drags him from the other guys who are screaming and yelling for joy.

“What’s wrong? Have you still not called?” Marcelo questioned, watching as Sergio’s blank expression morphed into shame as he looked back at the Brazilian. Marcelo rolled his eyes, letting Sergio sit on the bench beside them and joining him.

“Well, Barcelona won their game yesterday. Messi even scored, so it may seem like you are the only one suffering from not calling right now. But you know how Messi is,” Marcelo starts only to have Sergio cut him off, voice cold and sharp.

“No, I don’t,” Sergio almost spits the words out, feeling a bit of a headache from how quickly his emotions are changing. 

“Okay, so, that’s true but I know how Messi is. He’s quiet and hesitant when it comes to confrontation like this. If you don’t make the first move, I’m not sure he ever will,” Marcelo explains, causing Sergio to let out a long sigh as he leans over to rest his head in his hands. “Call him, for both of your sakes,” Marcelo whispers into his ear before patting the Spaniard on the shoulder and standing, joining James as the younger man cheers and dances in celebration. Sergio takes a deep breath and resolves that he will call him tonight. When he gets home, before it’s too late in the evening because he doesn’t know how this conversation is meant to go and much less what kind of voicemail he would leave. So he gets up, puts on a smile for his teammates as he showers and packs up his things. He says all his goodbyes, declining Isco’s invitation to go out and celebrate with the team. Marcelo shoots him a smile and thumbs up as he leaves causing Sergio to smile back as he exits the room full of cheering men.

The ride home is torturous. Sergio keeps glancing at his phone in the cup holder but knows better than to use it while driving. It’s a short ride to his house and when he does pull into his driveway the Spaniard holds himself back from rushing inside, grabbing his phone and dialing the number he’s memorized from dialling so many times. So he gathers his bag from the backseat of his car and takes deep breaths as he walks inside. The house is empty and quiet, something that puts off Sergio even though it’s what he’s come home to every night since he moved out. Sergio lights up the house, pouring himself a glass of liquid courage before he settles on the couch, the number already dialed, just waiting for him to press call. He takes a few more sips of his drink before he takes a sharp breath in, hitting the button and pulling the phone to his ear before he can think twice.

He sits, heart pounding in his chest as it begins to ring. Once, twice, Sergio’s teeth clamp onto his bottom lip as he waits feeling like an hour passes between each ring before finally it stops, there’s a crackling on the other end of the line before he answers.

“Hello?” it’s Leo alright. Sergio hasn’t heard the Argentine speak much but he would recognize the accent anywhere. Pipita never had much of an accent, lost most of it from moving around so much. Even if Leo had left the country before his voice got the chance to change, he still sounded like an Argentine. “Hello?” he repeated and Sergio gasped a bit, realizing he had lost himself in his thoughts while Leo awaited an answer.

“Hi, this is Sergio,” he greets and immediately wants to facepalm because his voice sounds so off and wrong and he already wants to end this call but then.

“Oh, hi Sergio,” Leo sounds surprised, perhaps a bit of confusion mixed in because it has been two days and Sergio thinks that maybe Leo had decided Sergio wasn’t going to call at all.

“Hi,” he says again and he wants to slap himself but he can’t think of anything else to say, it’s all a little much but Leo doesn’t seem to mind because Sergio hears something that sounds like a laugh on the other end of the phone.

“Are you going to say anything besides hello for the duration of this phone call?” Leo asks and Sergio is a bit taken aback by how casual the other man sounds but then Leo has been waiting for this for so long it makes sure Sergio is the one with fresh new butterflies in his stomach as he thinks of the fact that right now he’s talking to his soulmate, someone he once never thought existed.

“I’m not too sure, haven’t really planned this out,” Sergio admitted. No matter what bad could be said about him, Sergio was honest to the end, too old to deal with all the bullshit that came with keeping up a lie.

“Well then would you like me to start?” Leo asks and Sergio thinks that maybe there is a slight tremor in his voice that almost makes Sergio whimper but he holds himself back.

“That would be fine,” Sergio chokes out. He can’t understand the emotions that are filling him right now but he tries to be curt for fear of opening his mouth and declaring his love for Leo despite never actually having a conversation with the man.

“Okay. Do you want to try this Sergio or is this a call to tell me you aren’t interested in this soulmate business?” and Sergio sucks in a breath because Leo’s voice is still as soft and airy as before but there is something in his tone, an unforgiving coldness that tells Sergio Leo is taking this very seriously and doesn’t want to deal with any miscommunication derived drama.

“No! I mean, no I’m not not interested but shit that doesn’t make sense. I want to try this, that’s what I mean if you’d be willing,” Sergio stumbles over his own words and thinks of taking another sip of his drink but Leo is chuckling on the phone and Sergio doesn’t want anything to interfere with that sound. 

“Okay, okay, just wanted to make sure we were on the same page,” Leo explains and Sergio understands. Leo’s been in the registry for years probably, had the chance to think through all the what-ifs and figure out the best way to go about this. 

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Sergio replies back and he can’t think of anything else to say, not sure how to go about this whole thing but Leo saves him, an occurrence Sergio feels may become more normal in his life soon. 

“Well, you aren’t playing until the 18th right? And I’m not either. So how about we get together for dinner? Maybe Tuesday? I have practice on Wednesday so we’d have to do something light but I have plans for tomorrow,” Leo explains, speaking slowly as Sergio is nodding the whole time even though he knows Leo can’t see him.

“That would be wonderful yeah, I mean I’d love to,” Sergio insists, excitement obvious in his voice and Leo’s is laughing again which makes Sergio think maybe embarrassing himself like this isn’t bad if it means he gets to hear that. 

“How about I text you tomorrow to set it up? I think we both might need a little time to let this settle. We can figure out place and time later,” Leo suggests and Sergio is torn because he’d like to stay on the phone and just listen to Leo talk but he knows it’s getting late and Leo probably wants to go to bed. Sergio thinks it’s odd one of the only things he knows about Leo is how much the short man likes to sleep.

“Okay, that sounds good. So I’ll just wait for your text,” Sergio agrees nodding his head still.

“Goodnight Sergio,” Leo closes, Sergio smiles to himself before answering.

“Goodnight Leo,” Leo hangs up a moment later, Sergio’s arm still frozen holding the phone to his ear with a smile on his face. Sergio sits there for a few more moments, breathing deeply as his heart rate slows. Once it finally gets to what he would think is normal, he pulls the phone from his ear and immediately scrolls to his contacts, typing out a message to Marcelo.

_ I called. He’s going to text me about dinner Tuesday. _

Sergio sends the text, grabbing his glass and downing the last bit of alcohol as he reaches for the TV remote, thinking maybe watching something can help him calm down from the high he is currently experiencing. He hasn’t started flipping through channels before his phone dings, Marcelo’s text in response popping up on his screen.

_ YAY! Good job bro! I knew you had it in you! Go get yo man! _

Sergio laughs at the text, figuring Marcelo must have allowed Isco and James to talk him into celebrating the game. He doesn’t respond, letting Marcelo focus on letting loose for the night while he looks through the channels. He notices that bein is showing one of the shortened matches and when he looks he sees it’s Barcelona’s match from the day before. He click on it, unable to resist as the program starts back with the two anchors beginning their commentary. Sergio doesn’t pay too much attention, watching as they cut to the kickoff of the game and Sergio’s eyes can’t leave Leo. He knew it already, having faced Leo countless times before, but he’s always taken aback by how good Leo plays. He watches him celebrate his goal, his teammates wrapping him up in a hug and Sergio feels pride because that’s his soulmate that’s so wonderful with a ball but there’s also some resentment that he can’t be there with him. But then again, Sergio isn’t allowed to feel this resentment. He reasons that it’s his own fault for never getting on the registry. Who knows, if he had been on it from birth, maybe he would be with Leo right now. Maybe he would have left Madrid even though his heart aches at the very thought of leaving his club. But when he was young, Sergio thinks if the feelings had been this strong, he might have ended up at Barcelona with Leo at his side. 

Sergio imagined himself in the foreign blaugrana, the colors would never suit him, not after wearing the white so long. But Sergio thought it might be nice to celebrate one of Leo’s goals with him. He imagined Leo’s hugs were something wonderful, thinks about what it would be like with the adrenaline that came in a match.

Sergio can’t help himself for long because soon he’s picking up his phone and going to Leo’s contact which is already saved and has a cute emoji beside his name and everything.

_ You scored a wonderful goal by the way. It a bit odd saying that but it was. _

Sergio sent it, not even pausing to read over it, tossing his phone back on the couch as he watched Neymar score the goal which doubled Barcelona’s lead. He watched another minute or two before his phone dinged once more, screen down so Sergio couldn’t peak over and see who it was from. Sergio turned back to the TV, his attention focusing on the game for another minute before he gave in, grabbing the phone and turning it over.

_ Thanks. Sleep tight Sergio, we’ll talk tomorrow _

Sergio couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the night.


End file.
